Georgia Boltzer
Background * Candidate for Pittsburgh City Council in Feb 3, 2009, and again for May 2009. Planks :for the special election in Feb 3, 2009 Safe Streets Crime rates have increased dramatically in District 2. Georgia helped organize the Mt. Washington Community Development Corporation's Crime Prevention Workshop and A Safety Forum with the Commander of Zone 3. She believes we can reduce crime by working together as a community and working with our police. We need neighborhoods to commit to block watches, we need to monitor crime statistics, maintain ongoing communication with police, insure that 911 is effectively utilized, and fight to have more of a police presence in our communities. Working together with law enforcement and community organizations we can make our streets safer. Viable Housing Our streets are showing the effects of vacant housing. Too often houses stay vacant for months with little action by the owners or the City to integrate these properties back into the community as viable, tax producing entities. The Bureau of Build Inspection (BBI) often inadvertently hinders that process. The BBI monitoring system needs to be dramatically updated. A computer system to track and coordinate information for all properties is desperately needed. This department lacks a coordinated system to inspect, license, and follow-up when citations are issued. This lack of coordination exacerbates the problems of vacant/abandoned housing. There is no city wide comprehensive record of such properties. Violators of local ordinances can let their properties deteriorate to dangerous conditions without being cited. Georgia will sponsor legislation to create a coordinated response to the problem of vacant and run-down properties. She will also work to have a citywide database of vacant properties built. She will work to assure that City Departments, including the BBI, have the tools to be responsive to the needs of her district. Responsible Development Georgia will lead the charge for a District 2 long-range strategic plan. Through the identification of 5-year and 10-year goals, we can begin constructive work now in making our business districts and neighborhoods viable. Georgia understands that when we have a strategic plan that is responsive to the needs of the community, property values increase and developers are attracted and are held accountable. Our East End neighbors have seen the benefits of such a strategic plan, and under Georgia's leadership, District 2 will as well. Campaign Finance Reform Georgia is extremely concerned about the "pay to play" practices of Pittsburgh's local government. As an Independent Democrat, Georgia will push for real and meaningful campaign finance reform. She will fight to make sure that all constituent voices are heard at City Council, not just those who write large checks to candidates. Georgia began her fight for campaign finance reform at the start of her campaign. She holds herself to Federal election donation limits ($2,300 for individuals) and urges all candidates for City Council to do the same. Georgia will hold herself accountable to a higher standard and will remain an independent voice fighting for your needs. Links Media Loser in special Pittsburgh council election to run again :February 24, 2009m, by Rich Lord, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The second-place finisher in the Feb. 3, 2009, special election to fill the Pittsburgh City Council seat vacated by state Rep. Dan Deasy will try again in the May 19, 2009, Democratic primary. Georgia Blotzer, 59, of Mt. Washington, will try challenge Theresa Smith, 49, of Westwood, who took office last week. The other announced candidate in the primary is Rob Frank, 40, of Duquesne Heights. Ms. Blotzer took 25 percent of the vote running as an independent after Ms. Smith won the Democratic Committee nomination, and said in a press release yesterday that she's now "liberated to run as the Democrat that I am." She offered a four-point platform of improving services in the city's western neighborhoods, reforming campaign finance and contracting, developing strategically and holding regular meetings at "neighborhood hot-spots." She is a retired special education teacher. Boltzer,Georgia category:candidate